


My Rosie

by MadameGiry25



Category: Upstairs Downstairs (1971)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-30
Updated: 2012-12-30
Packaged: 2017-11-23 00:44:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/616177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadameGiry25/pseuds/MadameGiry25
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Edward contemplates Rose's predicament while she is still in Holloway. Onesided Edward/Rose. Spoilers for "A Special Mischief" in season 2.</p>
            </blockquote>





	My Rosie

**Author's Note:**

> Little piece that occurred to me when I was watching this episode. Background information for my readers who aren't familiar with canon: the narrator (Edward) is a footman at the house of a prominent family in the early 1900s. Rose, the girl he's pining after, is house parlor maid. She was arrested trying to help her mistress, Miss Elizabeth, who had been with a group of suffragettes. The entire group was arrested and imprisoned, the police assuming that Rose was part of the group of troublemakers. Mr. Hudson is mentioned briefly; he is the butler at the house where they work.

I shouldn't have been listening at the door. I know that. But I couldn't help myself, especially when I knew that the lady visitor had been with Rose. Now I wish that I hadn't eavesdropped.

Poor Rose. Down in prison when she ain't done nothing. Miss Elizabeth hasn't said what really happened, but I know that Rose couldn't have done nothing to land her in prison. It's not right. It's all a big misunderstanding. And Miss Elizabeth said that they'll let the girls out if they don't eat. Rose would want to get out. She'd go along with it. She's a strong one, my beautiful Rose. She'll be alright.

But that lady visitor. The things that she said. The horrible things that go on at the prison. It's the suffragettes that they are hurting. They must think that Rose is one of them. Shows how much they know. Rose would never go along with something like that, not with Mr. Hudson away.

They force feed those girls. They shove a bloody tube down their throats all the way down to their stomach. They did that to Rose. They hit her. I saw the bruises on her face when I visited. They've hurt her so badly. I've never seen Rose cry like that. Not Rose. She's always been strong. She's been solid. A rock. She keeps the household going. She'd never cry.

Those bastards. All of them. How could they do that to Rose when she's not like the others? Oh, Rose.

I should have done something when they dragged her away on that visit. I should have said something. Anything. I'm strong enough to tackle those women. I didn't see a man that I couldn't have bested. Anything for my Rosie.

She was so hungry when I saw her. She said that they wouldn't let her eat. I thought she meant the prison staff. Now I know she meant the other girls. They were starving my Rose. And because of those other girls, my Rosie was force fed with a tube down her throat. All the way to her stomach. All because they wouldn't let her eat. Those other women… what did they say to her? What did they say to frighten her into submission? How could they?

I don't get angry. I never does. Mr. Hudson will vouch for that. But this time… this time… I am angry. I am angry at Miss Elizabeth for getting Rose into this trouble, whether or not she meant to. I'm angry at the prison wardens for what they did to her. I'm furious at the girls who forced her to go along with their stupid suffragette schemes. Nothing is worth that kind of pain.

Miss Elizabeth says that she knows who to ask to get Rose out of there. And the other girls. But I only want my Rosie. The other girls can stay and rot as much as I care.

Oh, Rosie. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for every time I teased you, and made you cross because I was having a bit of fun. I never meant any harm. But more importantly, I'm sorry that I didn't stop them from hurting you when I had a chance. I would have done if I knew… I'm so sorry, Rose.


End file.
